May 29. Old Solutions Get Old Results.

When experience is not enough to address a problem, the impact just might become the most important focus. As leaders, we help to solve issues, challenges, risks, and dangers. It can be a quick fix to use an old solution. But often, old solutions are not a right fit.

I might be tempted to believe it is a right fit but as the leader we need to confirm that an issue is resolved. If not resolved, placing our focus on what impact we want our solutions to have is crucial. This can be a real challenge because of our attitude to assume, even believe, that we are right.

Our brains want to believe we are right as it saves us energy. Thinking about the impact will allow us to address many alternatives to a problem. Even asking if a solution is a right fit for all, some or none of a problem helps to slow our perception and give us some time for critical thinking.

Whatever the challenge, shaping what we want the result to look and feel like can show us the path to a faster resolution. It may eliminate many options as they will not be attuned to the impact we want. Starting a challenge resolution with an attitude that multiple solutions exist will help us to find the right fit for now.

Where is your team not having the full impact, you would like? Do you have an impact statement for the challenge? Where is the first place you would like to shape an impact this week? What is the first thing you will do about it in the next seven days?

In the Bible, we read that Jesus is taken to Pilate at the request of the Jewish leaders. One place we are told is by the writer of the book of John. As Pilate listens to the complaint, he first tries to solve the challenge with an old solution.

He offers to release Jesus in the old tradition, the tradition that one criminal is released every year. We do not know if Jesus’ situation even qualified for this exemption. Pilate was not even convinced that he was a criminal, nor do we know if this was the right time of year to do such an action.

We just know that it was an old solution. But it did not work. The Jewish leaders and crowd that were present demanded a different person to be released. Pilate was still in the unenviable place of having to be in judgment. Where have you been stuck in the last thirty days about a decision?

Like all brothers and sisters in Christ, maybe we should all have less judgment and address a different type of attitude like curiosity to find more impact. Will our impact be one of hate or compassion, of forgiveness or resentment, or be serving Christ or serving ourselves?

What impact do you want to begin shaping this week? It might start with looking at different attitudes to shape it. What is the first thing you can do about it in the next seven days?

Let us pray, Jesus, we get stuck. Not just in the mud, but in our ways, in our hearts and in our minds. Help us to leave behind the solutions of the past when they are not the right fit. The solutions of the past most likely will result in the same results that we have today.

Help us to know the impact we can have for you. A world with resolutions that have a larger impact for you is a world that we would desire. We ask for comfort as you move us into the unknown. Make our attitudes to be those that are influenced by you. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen,